Couple threw dog from tower block

A husband and wife who were looking after a dog for its sick owner have admitted hitting it and throwing it from a fifth-floor balcony.

Sheena and Alexander Spence, aged 62 and 60, were looking after Laddie at their home in Wyndmill Crescent, West Bromwich, last October.

Laddie later died from an internal haemorrhage caused by his injuries.

At the town's magistrates' court, the couple, now of Charlemont Farm, admitted causing unnecessary suffering.

They also admitted one charge of failing to attend to the needs of the dog under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Mr Spence had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.

'Lashed out'

The court heard how the couple were looking after the terrier for his elderly owner Nancy Howells, 86, while she was in hospital with kidney failure.

Mrs Spence, a cleaner who had worked for Mrs Howells for more than 12 years, offered to look after Laddie at her home.

The couple had been drinking alcohol and arguing when the dog bit Mrs Spence and she hit it.

Her husband also "lashed out" at the animal, Nick Sutton, prosecuting for the RSPCA, told the court, and the attack ended with Laddie being thrown from the balcony.

If she had survived, the news of what had happened to the dog would have killed her Angela Howells, daughter-in-law of Laddie's owner

Mrs Spence told RSPCA officers that she struck the dog to try to remove it from her ankle.

The couple also said the dog hit a door before Mrs Spence picked it up and threw it over the balcony.

Mr Sutton told the court a neighbour overheard the couple arguing.

He said: "She then heard a dog yelp, the patio doors open and then a thud."

Mrs Howells' daughter told the RSPCA how she received a "curious call" from Mr Spence in which he said: "Hello Pat, the dog has bitten me and Sheena... do you want me to finish him off over the balcony?"

Later, Mrs Spence told Mrs Howells' son-in-law in a telephone call: "The dog will be OK but that is if he doesn't come by an accident first."

'Absolutely adored'

When Mrs Howells' grandson arrived at the couple's house the following day to collect the dog Sheena Spence handed over the collar and lead, telling him the animal had run away.

It was found by a neighbour who called the council, which then alerted the RSPCA.

Mr Sutton said Laddie's injuries showed the dog would have undergone a 10-minute ordeal of "pain and fear of being hit".

Mrs Howells died later the same month and her family said outside court they were never able to tell her what happened to her dog.

Her daughter-in-law Angela Howells said: "Nancy absolutely adored that dog. She had him since he was a puppy and he was her companion."

She added: "No matter how ill she got she was always asking after Laddie.

"We couldn't bring ourselves to tell her. If she had survived, the news of what had happened to the dog would have killed her.

"We kept avoiding the question and telling her not to worry about Laddie. It was devastating."

The couple will be sentenced on 23 July.